Most players experience a turning point in their career, whether it’s one big play or a record setting season. An athlete will experience ups and downs, but ultimately have their view of the game completely changed.

For senior Tyler Smith, it was a position change from safety to linebacker between his sophomore and junior season that allowed him to find success on the gridiron.

Smith, now a linebacker for the Yellow Jackets’ football team said the position change was something he needed to do because it was best for the team at the request of defensive coordinator Scott Venick.

“Coach [Scott] Venick came to me after my sophomore season and asked me about moving to linebacker,” Smith said. “I was a little iffy on it because [I had] never played linebacker since little leagues, but I decided to do it not just for myself but for the team, because he said we needed me there.”

After playing at linebacker for the entirety of his junior year, Smith was named to the first team of the Presidents’ Athletic Conference’s all-conference team. Smith recorded 86 tackles, 12.5 of which for loss and two sacks last season. Third-year head coach Chris Smithley was an assistant on the staff during Smith’s freshman year, but he has seen him develop into a reliable athlete.

“The transition from safety to linebacker was at the time a transition of need for us defensively,” said Smithley. “Finding a way for us to get our best 11 guys on the field, we knew Ty was one of those guys. So, moving him down to linebacker was our best option at the time and the way he transitioned into that role is the [same] way any of us would expect Ty to do.”

Off the field, Smith studies business management and is pursuing a minor in marketing. For Smithley, Smith’s character on and off the field speaks for itself.

“He’s an extremely high character individual,” said Smithley. “When we sit here and evaluate not just what our guys are doing on the field, but off the field and the leadership they have, Ty is a guy that exemplifies everything we want from a character standpoint.”

Another part that helped Smith transition easily from defensive back to linebacker is the ability to be coached or ‘being coachable.’

“Coming in as a freshman it was a little devastating because you have high expectations and want to play right off the bat, but you come in and see competition is a little bit harder than you expected,” Smith said.  “The main thing with freshman year is you just have to be coachable and I felt like I tried my best to do that and get out of my high school techniques and do what coach Venick needs us to do and continue to do throughout my past three years and senior year.”

Smithley echoes Smith and said he was more than willing to switch positions. 

“He stepped up and knew that his role was changing and knew that’s what was best for the team,” Smithley said. “He handled it as everybody in this program would expect him to handle it. Just [a] phenomenal, hard-working guy that wants to win as bad as anybody does and wants to do what it takes to get that done.”

In his final season as a Yellow Jacket,  Smith is prepared to take on a leadership and mentor role for the younger guys on the team, but doesn’t want to lose focus of his goals.

“Personally, I want a winning season and want to do whatever I need to do to get that,” he said. . “As a team I feel like throughout spring ball and going into the season through camp we connected very well, and I feel like everyone is on the same page. We have to set the tone for the season.”

Waynesburg has lost its first three games, but still has more than half the season to play. Smithley is excited to see how Smith finishes and progresses towards the end of his time with Waynesburg.

“He’s a mature individual, respectful, great discipline, he’s accountable, not just to this program but to his teammates and professors as well,” Smithley said. “Ty’s a guy that’s going to be very successful no matter what he does in life just because of the character he has and the type of individual he is.